Army denies involvement in Chibok girls “release”

Nigeria’s Major-General Chris Olukolade

from AUGUSTINE OSAYANDE in Abuja, Nigeria

ABUJA – THE Army has denied issuing a statement confirming the release of Chibok girls to the media.

“No statement was ever made claiming the girls have been released. My response to an enquiry by (media name withheld) on whether or not they (the Girls) have been released was met with ” Give me some time to Get Back.”

“I confirmed to the enquirer in part, the movement of two buses into the barracks with escorts. Nothing else.

“I confirmed and found that the girls in the buses were not newly released Chibok Girls,” Director of Defense Information, Major-General Chris Olukolade, said.

He said before this time, the publication and two other online media had already published that he confirmed the release.

“The publication called after their release and I told them their release report was not true. The Defence Information also tweeted this upon this messy discovery. The whole story never emanated from me as claimed,” he insisted.

There was excitement among people of Borno State as news filtered into town that some of the girls captured by the Boko Haram insurgents mid-April April from Government Secondary School, in Chibok had been freed.